Hurricane Recovery

12/6/2019 (Permalink)

Hurricane recovery after severe storms (Category 3 and above) can take months or even years.

If you have evacuated your property, do not return to the area until you have been advised to do so by emergency services and/or local authorities.

If you remained in your home during the hurricane, proceed with extreme caution when going outside. Wait for at least three hours before leaving to ensure the storm has passed entirely and the area has had time to settle. Keep up to date with National Hurricane Center alerts and local news to know when your area is safe.

Conduct an extensive visual check from your doors and windows to see if there are any hazards in your vicinity. Do not go outside if you can see high flood water or downed powerlines. Instead, alert emergency services that you are trapped and wait.

Once you are safely able to assess the condition of your property, contact your insurers. Describe the damage caused and ask them about next steps for the claiming process, including the timeframe for when an estimator will be able to make it to your property. Have your inventory and ‘before’ photographs from your hurricane plan on hand when they arrive.